CenterLines is the bi-weekly e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling &
Walking. CenterLines is our way of quickly delivering news and information
you can use to create more walkable and bicycle-friendly communities.

-> According to John Williams, NCBW's Pro Walk/Pro Bike program director, the program elements that will make up the 2008 conference program are now largely in place. "We spent nearly two weeks working through more than 300 proposals, taking into account the ranking and comments from the proposal review committee," said Williams. "Then we looked at the meat of the proposals to make sure we had a broad spread of topics, which we believe has become a hallmark of the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conferences."

Williams noted that the time-consuming part of shaping the program was the merging of the many proposals based on twenty to thirty minute presentations. "Our conference time periods are typically one and a half hours, which means you can meld three and possibly four separate proposals into a cohesive presentation," said Williams. "That means grouping proposals that have a common thread or theme, and then deciding which pieces will best fit together."

The result is a mix of 75 panel/workshop presentations involving nearly 200 presenters, in addition to more than 50 poster presenters. "It represents a terrific amount of information for participants in the September conference," said Williams.

E-mail notifications are currently going out to those chosen for presentations and those whose proposals were not accepted. "We had to say 'no' to a large group of very good proposals," said Williams. "Because we're telling each presenter who they're grouped with, as well as their day and time slot on the schedule, the e-mails will take about a week to process. But presenters will hear from us very soon. Also, as soon as the presenters have been notified, we'll post the full schedule on the conference website at www.bikewalk.org."

NCBW WORKS WITH FLINT (MI) TO ESTABLISH A YOUTH ACTION COUNCIL
A Report From The Field, by Mark Plotz

-> On Friday, March 14, the city of Flint moved a step closer to establishing a Youth Action Council. For the past six months, the National Center for Bicycling & Walking has been working with the Ruth Mott Foundation and the Metro Housing Partnership on ways to help engage Flint youth in their neighborhoods and city. The project, called "It's Our Neighborhood Too!" (with the shorthand 'ION2') was inspired by the simple notion that an engaged and enfranchised youth is the best possible investment Flint can make in its future. For a city that has lost half its population in one generation, the best return-on-investment it can hope for is, quite literally, that those "investments" will return.

Part of our mandate for ION2 is that whatever we do, we must create a program that is sustainable. That's a nice idea, but "sustainable" is difficult to define, hard to forecast, and implies a long-term commitment from all who sign on. Program officers rotate, foundation priorities change, budgets contract, political winds change, other competing priorities arise. What to do?

Fortunately, we are working with a group of young people who expect more action than a shoulder shrug and the excuse of "that's already been tried and it didn't work." They even helped show us the way: during our December 2007 youth summit, the idea of establishing a youth city council was identified as one of their top priorities. So off we went.

A little confession: I was kind of hoping that they would come up with that idea. When I was working on youth initiatives as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Mankato, Minn., I came to believe that giving youth a voice is one of the smartest things a local government can do. One reason that stands out in the case of Flint is that young people are (mostly) apolitical. Adults who have chosen politics as a vocation can often use the helpful reminder that they are there to serve the people, not their own interests.

So last Friday we gathered together the various stakeholders of Flint to discuss how to make possible this youth council. And more to the point, we asked: How can we ensure that the youth council can make a meaningful contribution to Flint?

Thus far the response to the idea has been positive. Some see a youth council as a way for local government to make better informed decisions on how it spends its time and money on youth. Others see it as a natural and complimentary fit with their youth-targeted programs. And yet others seem to believe that getting young people involved in governing will inject more civility into city politics.

Our goal at NCBW is to put together the Flint youth action council by the end of this school year. We'll take you along on the journey. Stay tuned!

2008 LAB BIKE SUMMIT SURGES TO NEW HEIGHTS
by Bill Wilkinson

-> The League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit, now in its seventh year, set a new attendance record with more than 500 participants. The annual event brings bicycle advocates to the Nation's Capitol for two and one half days of meetings, workshops, and outreach to the Congress.

Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) once again helped kick-off the event, exhorting participants to help bring the attention of the Congress to bicycling. "Yes, bicycling is fun. We know that from our youth. Everybody seems to have a bicycling story that they love to tell. However, there are many reasons why bicycling should be taken very seriously by policymakers," Blumenauer said. "I urge my colleagues to look at it. It's the simplest, most cost-effective direction the Federal Government can give to make more transportation choices for Americans, to provide safer opportunities for our children to get to school, to deal with health and climate change, and to heal our communities while we strengthen our bodies and improve our spirits."

Other plenary speakers included the leaders of AASHTO, the American Public Transportation Association, the National Park Service, and the Mayor of Washington, DC. Workshops focused on transportation, recreation and tourism, health, and energy and the environment. A pair of well-attended sessions considered bicycling and the National Parks in the context of the upcoming centennial of the National Park Service in 2016.

The Congressional Reception was treated to rousing remarks by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Jim Oberstar, who is temporarily grounded while recovering from hip surgery. Summit participants had several items to use in their visits to their elected representatives, including the Concurrent Resolution -- recognizing the importance of bicycling in transportation and recreation -- introduced by Congressmen Blumenauer and Oberstar (H.Con.Res. 305), and Senator Harkin's Complete Streets Act of 2008.*

Finally, the growing support for bicycle advocacy was reflected in the list of Summit sponsors which included: Bikes Belong, International Mountain Bicycling Association, AARP, National Bicycle Dealers Association, and Planet Bike, among others.

-> According to the March Nonmotorized Update*, "Welcome to the new Nonmotorized Transportation Engineer, Melissa Anderson. Her first day on the job was February 1. Melissa is well-acquainted with MoDOT policy and procedure after being a MoDOT employee for seven years. She previously worked for two communities where she designed and managed ADA pedestrian facilities projects and managed the construction of a bike/ped trail project. She is looking forward to updating MoDOT policies and communications and working with the various interest groups to meet the overall transportation needs of our State System."

-> New Funding Opportunity: Call for Proposals -- Round 8
"Active Living Research is pleased to announce the release of our Call for Proposals (CFP) -- Round 8. This call for proposals is the first to reflect a new emphasis for Active Living Research, which will focus on supporting research to inform policy and environmental strategies for increasing physical activity among children and adolescents, decreasing their sedentary behaviors and preventing obesity. All proposals must be submitted through The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Grantmaking Online system. The full proposal submission deadline is Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 1:00 p.m. PDT. If you have any questions about the proposal submission process, please contact Amanda Wilson, Research Coordinator, at <awilson@projects.sdsu.edu> or 619-260-5538."

-> 2008 Annual Conference
"Space is still available for our 2008 Annual Conference, April 9-12 in Washington, DC. This year's conference in the Nation's Capitol will provide researchers and policy makers greater opportunities to interact, exchange ideas, and discuss potential synergies between research and policy development."

-> According to the Mar. 13th Complete the Streets News, "Missouri State Representative Mike Sutherland (R-99) introduced HB2206* on Feb. 19th which would 'require that the Department of Transportation's plans, programs, and projects must provide full consideration for the safety and contiguous routes for bicyclists, pedestrians, disabled persons, and transit users of all ages and abilities.' The House Special Committee on State Parks and Waterways held a public hearing on the bill last week, and it passed out of that committee yesterday, March 12th.

"The following week after bill introduction, on February 26th the Missouri Bicycle Federation sponsored a very successful Bike the Capitol Day** and visited every single office of the 197 Missouri state senators and representatives. The advocates educated the elected officials on the complete streets legislation and safe streets legislation, which addresses careless and dangerous drivers. See the Federation's issue paper*** on complete streets (PDF).

-> According to a Mar. 11th news release, "The National Center for Safe Routes to School has released new resources to assist local communities in evaluating their Safe Routes to School programs. The new section includes a step-by-step process for conducting an evaluation with an accompanying worksheet for program implementers to organize their program information for each step. It also reviews the benefits of evaluation and how the timing of evaluation corresponds to the life of a SRTS program.

"Readers are also given an overview of commonly used ways to collect data, including the standardized data collection forms developed by the Center in 2007. The Student Travel Tally is used to identify frequency of various transportation modes for travel to school. The Parent Survey, also available in a Spanish-language version, measures parent attitudes that may influence whether children are allowed to walk or bicycle to school..."

-> According to a Mar. 11th news release, "More than 1,200 cyclists including mayors and other elected officials, biked their way to the state capitol building today as part of the third-annual Georgia Rides To The Capitol event, a grassroots bike ride to rally support for improved conditions for bicycling in Georgia. The ride culminated with leaders speaking from the capitol steps to remind Georgians of the importance of bicycling and raising support for the development of regional-scale bicycle networks across the state. 'I want the mayors, the members of the General Assembly, and the people of Georgia to know that the Department of Transportation is about more than just highways,' State Transportation Board Chairman Mike Evans said.

"'There are roughly 400 projects under construction that include bike facilities. The Department is working vigorously with local governments to find the necessary funding to develop more bike and pedestrian pathways.' The Metro Atlanta Mayors Association (MAMA) and 23 business, municipal, and non-profit sponsors staged the event. Rides departed from Decatur and Roswell with Mayors Bill Floyd (Decatur) and Jere Wood (Roswell) riding the length of their routes. Other public officials from the region joined along the way, including Mayors Kim Carter (Covington), Rick Roberts (Ball Ground), Donnie Henriques (Woodstock), Mickey Thompson (Douglasville)..."

-> According to a recent release, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity is seeking nominations for programs or policies that fall into the following 4 areas: 1) Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs; 2) After school or Daycare programs or policies; 3) Access to healthier foods in supermarkets/convenience stores/restaurants; and 4) Land Use and Transportation Policies/Projects for Physical Activity (see note below).*

"As the search for answers to effectively address childhood obesity continues, organizations and communities across the country are experimenting with various strategies aimed at changing children's environments to reduce the incidence of obesity. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are undertaking a 2-year collaborative project to identify and assess local-level programs and policies that have been implemented with apparent notable success to improve the eating habits and physical activity levels of children. Macro International Inc. serves as the coordinating center for the project.

"The goal of this project is to conduct evaluability assessments, which are 'pre' evaluations to determine if a program is promising and ready for a more rigorous full evaluation. A nominated program or policy that is chosen by our Expert Panel will receive an evaluability assessment, which consists of a 3-day site visit where trained project staff assess program implementation, data collection, and intended program outcomes. As part of the site visit, a limited amount of on-site technical assistance will be provided to each site. The submission deadline is Monday, March 31, 2008."

*Note: "'Land Use and Transportation Policies/Projects for Physical Activity' recognizes the importance of the built environment in supporting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. The initiative may involve the efforts of urban planners, architects, engineers, developers, and public health professionals. The initiative should focus on the creation or enhance the use of safe, attractive, and convenient places for physical activity, such as the creation of multi-use paths for bicycling, walking, or rollerblading; sidewalks; and parks and playgrounds.

"(a) Community scale, urban design and transportation policies that provide parks, multi-use paths, and sidewalks
"(b) Land use policies and practices can improve public health by locating residential, commercial, and institutional uses within walking and/or biking distance of one another."

COOPER INST./CDC PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT PLAN

-> According to the Mar. 6th Centers for Disease Control Physical Activity newsletter, "'Personal Empowerment Plan' (PEP), known previously as Personal Energy Plan, was revised as a collaboration between Cooper Institute and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PEP uses strategies based on an individual's readiness to change to improve the behaviors of healthy eating and physical activity in the worksite setting. PEP may be used to supplement an existing worksite intervention using individualized materials or may be used independently as a campaign to promote these behaviors.

"The Coordinator's Guide walks the worksite coordinator through steps to conduct a wellness initiative including: coordinating, planning, promoting, implementing, and evaluating. PEP includes a Coordinator's Guide and a CD of print-ready PDF tools (participant database, worksite audit, questionnaires, and stage specific participant booklets) and promotion materials (PEP logo, sample email, and article for company newsletter). The introduction to the Coordinator's Guide also includes background education and web links to the national public health priorities and recommendations as well as the theory and application of individual behavior change.

-> According to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign's Mar. 14th Mobilizing the Region E-Newsletter, "The Connecticut General Assembly's Joint Committee on Transportation reported 31 bills out of committee as of Monday, the official deadline for doing so...Several of the bills, if passed, will represent a continuation of the ConnDOT reform process which began last year...

-> SENATE BILL 299: An Act Concerning Bicycle Access and Safety
"The bill replaces language in an existing statute which directs the Commissioner of Transportation to simply 'encourage the inclusion of areas for bicycles and pedestrians' when creating a new layout of a state highway or relocating a state highway with language that states the Commissioner must 'include' bike and pedestrian areas. This subtle change may make a great difference in increasing access for cycling and walking as forms of transit..."

-> According to a Mar. 11th USDOT announcement, "The U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration is making up to $3 million in initial funding available to private industry, research organizations, and state and local governments under its initiative to reduce congestion and improve the safety and performance of the nation's transportation system through field testing of deployment-ready technologies.

"SafeTrip-21 builds upon research into the use of electronic information, navigation, and communications technologies to prevent accidents and alleviate congestion by providing drivers with real-time safety warnings, traffic and transit information, and advanced navigational tools. The selected test sites and technology applications will be evaluated in a year-long field test that will begin following an initial exhibition of capabilities during the November 2008 Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) World Congress in New York City."

The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT) and the Clean Air Partnership are partnering to host a one-day Summit, covering topics such as public policy, economic incentives and disincentives, business support, infrastructure policies and design, and government support.

Join leading thinkers, practitioners and decision-makers who are on the fast track to creating bikeable communities. Bike Summit 2008 will be held on Friday April 25th in Toronto. Presenters will share international and Canadian best practices and perspectives on putting policy into action, with plenty of ideas for building local, regional and provincial momentum and leadership for bikeable communities.

-> "We are taking a comprehensive approach to create a healthier environment for our residents. By making simple, fundamental changes to our environment, such as developing healthier school lunches, worksite wellness programs and walkable neighborhoods, we can increase the opportunities people have to eat healthier and be more physically active."
-- James R. 'Duke' Aiona, Jr, Lt. Governor, Hawaiihttp://tinyurl.com/28fc64

-> "Over the past 20 years, the number of students earning bachelors degrees in engineering has declined by almost 3% nationally. While that statistic may not seem significant by itself, the decline comes at a time when the number of students receiving bachelors degrees overall in the US has increased by more than 50%."
-- Greg Schuckman, Assistant VP of University Relations and Director of Federal Relations and Research Advancement, University of Central Floridahttp://tinyurl.com/2elqfy

IN
THE NEWS

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UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE COSTS HAWAII $140M IN '05

-> According to a Mar. 18th Hawaii Reporter article, "An estimated $140 million in inpatient hospital charges related to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes could have been prevented in Hawaii in 2005 if more adults were regularly physically active, according to a new Hawaii State Department of Health report. Lt. Governor James R. 'Duke' Aiona, Jr., Director of Health Chiyome Fukino, M.D. and state health officials today released the Hawaii Physical Activity and Nutrition Surveillance Report 2008, which represents the most recent and thorough compilation of data on physical activity, nutrition, and related health conditions in Hawaii. The report provides updated information that can be used by community programs and coalitions that focus on physical activity and nutrition to target their efforts to where they are most needed.

"The report will also help educate the public about physical activity and nutrition health disparities that exist within our communities. 'From 1990 to 2006, Hawaii's adult obesity rate has more than doubled from 9.1% to 20.6%. This equates to approximately 196,300 obese adults,' said Director of Health Chiyome Fukino, M.D. 'In 2005, more than 75 percent of middle school and high school students in Hawaii did not consume enough fruits and vegetables. Eating one more fruit and one more vegetable a day and 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day can help lower rates of obesity, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.'

-> According to a Mar. 7th Sun-Times article, "After months of waiting, Illinois schools, towns and community groups have received $8.3 million in federal grants to make it easier for kids to walk or bike to school. The money will go to 112 projects, ranging from walking contests to building sidewalks.

"The grants are the first of three years' worth of funding that will be provided to the Illinois Transportation Department under a nationwide Safe Routes to School program, created by the 2005 federal transportation bill. The three-year total is $23 million. IDOT said it received proposals last fall and took time to make the grants because of the high number of applications.

"'We were able to fulfill 10 percent of requested projects,' said IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey. The grants were announced a day after the Chicago Sun-Times editorialized on the delay..."

-> According to a Mar. 17th Daily Forum article, "Warm weather brings more activity outdoors, and this can mean a higher rate of traffic on Maryville sidewalks. The city of Maryville has a sidewalk replacement program in which residents are eligible for reimbursement to replace sidewalks in front of their homes or businesses. 'This is a great opportunity for home and business owners to replace the sidewalk located in the right-of-way on their property with a new walkable and safe sidewalk,' Maryville Public Works Director Greg Decker said. This year's budget allows for $5,000 toward the program, a number lower than years past.

"'We were on a tight budget, and looking at things to cut, we adopted that change for last fall's budget,' Decker said. Those interested in the program must fill out an application and return it to the Public Works office. The department then inspects the sidewalk to verify that the sidewalk truly needs replaced. After the city approves a sidewalk, officials will notify the applicant to proceed with removal and replacement of the sidewalk. The new sidewalk must be made of concrete and be four feet wide and four inches thick before the city will reimburse the applicant..."

-> A Mar. 18th Banner-Herald editorial suggests, "It may be time for Athens-Clarke County officials to reconsider a policy requiring consideration of switching four-lane and five-lane roads to three lanes -- two travel lanes and a center turn lane -- every time one of those four- or five-lane roads is scheduled for repaving.

"In a purely academic sense, considering such reconfigurations is an interesting proposition. Consider, for instance, an Iowa Department of Transportation report from a few years ago* which points out, in part, that converting a four-lane road to a three-lane configuration with a center turn lane can curb the tendency of aggressive drivers to switch from lane to lane, thereby addressing one potential source of accidents.

"Perhaps most interesting, though, is the report's challenge to the intuitive notion that changing a road from two traffic lanes in each direction to one traffic lane in each direction would cut the capacity of the road by half. The report points out that, in peak-hour conditions on four-lane roads, most through traffic travels in the far right-hand lane to avoid turning motions in the left lane. In essence, then, a four-lane road at peak travel times is, essentially, a two-lane road with two turn lanes.

"Of course, an academic approach to the issue of three-laning is somewhat removed from the practical considerations that can confront a local government. Two cases in point are found in the public hearing held Monday in connection with the planned repaving -- and, hence, the potential reconfiguration -- of five-lane North Avenue and four-lane Cedar Shoals Drive..."

-> According to a Mar. 11th Bicycle Newswire article, "AAA Chicago supports the City of Chicago ordinance which would impose strict fines on motorists whose actions endanger bicyclists, and we urge Chicago's City Council to pass it. The ordinance prohibits actions such as turning left or right in front of a bicyclist, passing a bicyclist with less than three feet of space, parking in a bike lane and opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist.

"'This proposed ordinance clearly defines the rules and responsibilities and will increase the safety of everyone who shares the roadways in Chicago,' said Beth Mosher, spokesperson for AAA Chicago. 'Chicago has become a terrific multimodal city, and now pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike need to do a better job of sharing the roads safely.'..."

-> According to a Mar. 17th Baltimore Sun article, "On a brisk, late-winter morning, Leocea McLanahan walked along the Susquehanna River with her three daughters, the youngest in a stroller. Caitlin, 9, found bluebells and asters emerging amid the ground cover. Five-year-old Malea peered through binoculars, looking for birds with their babies. The McLanahans come often from their home in Conowingo. 'We have a guidebook, and we look for different birds and flowers along the water,' said McLanahan, who home-schools her children. 'We jot down notes to help us remember.'

"The trail they were walking, which follows the river for about 4 miles into Susquehanna State Park near Havre de Grace, also draws visitors with fishing rods and cameras. Now a nonprofit group wants to link it to other trails, and build new ones, to create a 40-mile network of waterside walkways through Harford and Cecil counties. The Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway, based in Darlington, hopes to secure federal and state funding for crisscrossing trails that would link the area's natural, cultural and historic resources..."

-> According to a Mar. 9th USA Today article, "Simply listening to a cell phone distracts drivers, a study concludes. The finding raises questions about the effectiveness of laws that ban only the use of handheld devices while driving. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands prohibit drivers from using handheld cell phones, but no jurisdiction bans hands-free phones, says Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state and territorial highway safety offices.

"Allowing hands-free phones 'really gives drivers a false sense of safety,' Adkins says. He adds that he has seen no evidence that bans on handheld phones have prevented accidents. Neuroscientist Marcel Just, director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, agrees. Just studied 29 volunteers who used a driving simulator while inside an MRI brain scanner. The volunteers steered a car along a virtual winding road undisturbed or while deciding whether a sentence they heard was true or false..."

-> According to a Jan. 22nd Bicycle Retailer article, "John Burke believes the industry can increase the number of trips taken by bike in the United States from less than 1 percent of trips to 5 percent of trips. But it's not going to happen on its own. 'I believe it can happen in the U.S. if we go city by city,' Burke, Trek's president, told the audience at the Bicycle Leadership Conference Sunday.

"Burke said companies need to get involved with local advocacy groups and city governments. He suggested looking at the best practices of other cities to make our own cities more bike friendly. In the Netherlands, 25 percent of trips are by bike. Bike sales in London have doubled since the city implemented $10 congestion fees -- a concept many U.S cities are considering. 'We're not trying to reinvent the wheel,' Burke said..."

-> According to a Mar. 19th Oklahoman article, "Kusum Hospitality had a choice last month when [Oklahoma City's] Bricktown Urban Design Committee panned architectural renderings for a proposed Holiday Inn Express. The company could have fought the committee -- a tactic initially attempted by McDonald's Corp. when it sought to build a restaurant in the entertainment district's eastern fringe. But instead, the hotel company quickly withdrew its plans and pledged to create drawings that would meet the standards set out by the committee, whose members are appointed by Mayor Mick Cornett to ensure construction and facade renovations fit in with the century-old warehouse district.

"Now district leaders are celebrating a turnaround by Kusum Hospitality, which follows similar changes by McDonald's and developers of a Hampton Inn now under construction next to the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. The company could have fought the committee -- a tactic initially attempted by McDonald's Corp. when it sought to build a restaurant in the entertainment district's eastern fringe...The one-month turnaround with Kusum Hospitality stands in contrast to the McDonald's application last summer, in which representatives of the fast-food giant lectured the committee on their duties and argued against design guidelines that encourage pedestrian-oriented developments. The company's approach changed, however, as committee members refused to budge from their stance that the restaurant had to fit in with the district's design guidelines..."

-> According to a Mar. 19th Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial, "The first drivers in New York City found themselves in an unfriendly landscape. Cobbled streets, narrow roadbeds and a lack of traffic controls weren't suited to expeditious movement by automobile. For a time, drivers contented themselves with carving out small niches in the urban fabric, but with money, political muscle and an aura of inevitability, the automobile lobby eventually brought about a program of wholesale curb-to-curb reconstruction. Up came the trolley tacks, down came the elevated trains, gone were the broad sidewalks of a great city of walkers -- all in the name of a grand design.

"It was this street-by-street repurposing, just as much as the construction of highways, that reshaped New York's streets around the car. For four decades, activists for greener, safer NYC streets have scrounged at the margins of this 'automobilized' streetscape. A few feet of traffic lanes converted to bike lanes, the occasional sidewalk extended to relieve a dangerous intersection -- all important changes, but all within the context of streets that serve cars, first and foremost. But what would our streets look like if they were redesigned, building-to-building, to first accommodate walkers, bicyclists, the disabled and surface transit? The days of living at the margins are over: the Complete Streets revolution has begun..."

-> According to a Mar. 14th Press Democrat article, "In what may be a first for Sonoma County, the town of Windsor is buying bicycles for some of its employees to go about their jobs. Windsor recently bought two bikes for its Planning Department employees to use in their work. Four more bicycles will be ordered for Public Works employees to use in the performance of their duties. The intent is to cut down on greenhouse gases.

"'If you're a town employee and riding a bike, you are not riding in a town vehicle and using fossil fuels,' said Planning Director Peter Chamberlin, who's pedaled short distances to check on project sites. 'I enjoy doing it.' 'I did it in heels,' Assistant Town Manager Christa Johnson said of her recent 3-mile round-trip peddle from Town Hall to a meeting at the fire department. Like other cities in Sonoma County, Windsor is committed to reducing greenhouse gases in an attempt to address global warming..."

-> According to a Mar. 17th Planetizen article, "Unsightly and space-consuming, parking is nonetheless a key component for most urban development. But the rise in innovative parking solutions and mechanization technologies is poised to transform the parking garage from an eyesore into a cohesive element in any sustainable, walkable and livable project. Unsightly and space-consuming, parking is nonetheless a key component for most urban development. But the rise in innovative parking solutions and mechanization technologies is poised to transform the parking garage from an eyesore into a cohesive element in any sustainable, walkable and livable project.

"The parking garage is a frequently contentious and often maligned building type, but it is also a very important building type that offers many solutions to address today's numerous complex issues of architecture, sustainability, transportation and planning. With the development patterns in the United States spanning from the density of New York City to the sparse rural countryside and everything in-between, providing Americans with choices concerning transportation and lifestyle is crucial. Parking is always a part of this mix and studying the evolution of the typology offers many insights..."

-> According to a Mar. 17th Washington Post article, "It took a few moments for Tyler Duvall, the top policymaker at the Department of Transportation, to digest the news from the Hill. But when he realized what it meant, he was stunned. Last year, Congress decided not to dictate how the department could spend its discretionary funds. No earmarks, no strings, no arm-twisting from lawmakers to direct money to bus systems or other mass-transit projects in hundreds of communities nationwide. Duvall and other top department officials were staring at nearly $1 billion. And they knew exactly how to spend it. They used the money to seed five high-profile experiments, in New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Miami and Seattle, that feature "congestion pricing" -- tolls that increase when traffic is heavy. The idea is to reduce traffic by discouraging some motorists from driving during peak hours.

"'It's almost sort of un-American that we should be forced to sit and be stuck in traffic,' said D.J. Gribbin, the department's general counsel and liaison to the White House, who worked closely with Duvall on the project. For Gribbin, Duvall and Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, the goal is not just to combat congestion but to upend the traditional way transportation projects are funded in this country. They believe that tolls paid by motorists, not tax dollars, should be used to construct and maintain roads. They and other political appointees have spent the latter part of President Bush's two terms laboring behind the scenes to shrink the federal role in road-building and public transportation. They have also sought to turn highways into commodities that can be sold or leased to private firms and used by motorists for a price..."

"The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II.

"Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees

"There's no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject from western properties:

"1. If you can get them, pick young married women. They have these advantages, according to the reports of western companies: they usually have more of a sense of responsibility than do their unmarried sisters; they're less likely to be flirtatious; as a rule, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it -- maybe a sick husband or one who's in the army; they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently..."

SOMMERVILLE (MA) MAYOR JOINS DEB H. ON SAFE ROUTES PANEL
-> "In addition to participating in a meeting of the [National League of Cities] governing board, [Mayor Joe] Curtatone also took part in a panel discussion on the issue of Childhood Obesity and Safe Routes to Schools. Curtatone, who made a presentation on the city's role in the nationally recognized 'Shape Up Somerville' program, was joined on the panel by the national director of the Safe Routes to School program Deb Hubsmith, and Legislative Assistant Jackie Schmitz, who serves on the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit..."http://tinyurl.com/2cfmws

NY (NY) BUS RIDERS WANT CONGESTION PRICING!
-> "A majority of surveyed bus riders think traffic congestion delays buses, think that more buses would improve their commute, and support congestion pricing to pay for more buses and better public transit..."http://tinyurl.com/2n3uba

TRUCK DRIVER MISSES CAR, HITS CYCLING GOLF ANALYST
-> "'He didn't want to hit the car on the left, so he ran over the cyclist on the right,' Feherty said. 'I don't remember a whole lot about it. There was a lady on the scene quickly, keeping me conscious. The next thing I know, I'm at Baylor Medical Center, the only hospital in the United States that doesn't have The Golf Channel.'..."http://tinyurl.com/2aayh7

SHOCKWAVE TRAFFIC JAM RECREATED FOR FIRST TIME
-> "The theory has frequently been modeled in computer simulations, and seems to fit with observations of real traffic, but has never been recreated experimentally until now. Researchers from several Japanese universities managed the feat by putting 22 vehicles on a 230-metre single-lane circuit..." [see video!!]http://tinyurl.com/yntt3q

DRIVERS NEED A BREAK EVERY 80 MINUTES
-> "...At around the 80-minute mark, reaction times had increased by 0.3 seconds compared with the early part of the journey. At 100 kilometres per hour, this would add about 8 metres to their stopping distance..."http://tinyurl.com/24wuxb

'DRUNKOREXIA' SNARES MORE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS
-> "Increasing numbers of young Australians are habitually skipping meals to offset their alcohol consumption in a fad that's been dubbed 'drunkorexia', experts say..."http://tinyurl.com/ysc99k

RESOURCES

-> "TRAFFIC SAFETY: GRANTS GENERALLY ADDRESS KEY..."
"...Safety Issues, Despite State Eligibility and Management Difficulties;" Report of the United States Government Accountability Office for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives; GAO-08-398. March 14, 2008 (1.4mb pdf)http://tinyurl.com/2kgvrf
[Ed. Note: in this 61-page report, "bicycle" is mentioned once and "pedestrian" is mentioned twice.]

-> "WORKWELL HEALTHY MINNESOTA TOOLKIT"
A collection of strategies, suggestions and resources to help build your worksite health promotion program; from the Minnesota Department of Health. No date. (3.5mb pdf)http://tinyurl.com/34w6ld

The following articles are from the April 2008 issue of Preventing Chronic Disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion:

Additional training
opportunities are available on the National Center for Bicycling &
Walking web site. Add your own items to the on-line calendar...it's quick
and easy. Please be sure your calendar items pertain to training and workshops
in the bicycle, pedestrian, or livable community fields. Go to:http://www.bikewalk.org/calendar.php

-> According to a Mar. 17th news release, "The Safe Routes to School National Partnership (the Partnership) is seeking the services of a qualified contractor to provide consulting services at a fixed price of $45,000 to collect and analyze data, and evaluate the Partnership's Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Local School Project in 10 locations throughout the United States, in collaboration with local program contractors and volunteers. There is a 20-month time period for this work, from April 15, 2008 - December 11, 2009.

"We believe that these services will be critical for advancing the body of knowledge and evidence regarding how SRTS can improve public health and how SRTS programs can be implemented successfully in disadvantaged communities with little resources.

"The ideal candidate can be an individual, government agency or non-profit and will have the following qualifications:

- Experience and expertise in evaluating student health, youth physical activity or similar programs.
- Knowledge of Safe Routes to School program components and concepts.
- Formal training in evaluation methods.
- University affiliation preferred.

The application deadline is Tuesday, April 1 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time, and interviews will take place over the telephone on April 9. The Partnership thanks Kaiser Permanente for providing the funding to conduct this health evaluation.

-> JOB -- EXEC. DIRECTOR -- BICYCLE COALITION OF MAINE

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is seeking a proven professional to lead our mission to improve bicycling safety, education and access in Maine. Our office is located in Augusta. The Executive Director leads a full-time staff of three, many outside contractors and professional service providers, hundreds of volunteers, and a 6000+ member base.

Naples Pathways Coalition, Inc. of Collier Co., Florida, seeks a halftime staff person to lead and grow the organization, with the opportunity to expand the position to full-time as fundraising success permits. Responsibilities include policy work, public education and media advocacy, fundraising, and outreach and organizing throughout the greater Collier County area. The position presents a great opportunity to play a critical role in transforming southwest Florida into a more healthy and sustainable region.

Bicycle Colorado seeks a full-time Business Manager. Be part of the movement to improve bicycling in Colorado! Complete job description and application instructions are located online.http://tinyurl.com/2d9v3j

-> JOB -- SR. ACTIVE TRANS. PLANNER -- CHICAGOLAND BICYCLE FED.

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is seeking a Senior Active Transportation Planner. CBF offers professional services to clients who seek a progressive and innovative approach to making bicycling, walking and transit a significant part of daily life in their community or region. The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is looking for a full Senior Transportation Planner to lead the national's premier bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization's planning and technical assistance consulting efforts.

The ideal candidate should be excited to take an entrepreneurial approach to planning that melds professional top-notch technical assistance with a strong voice for promoting non-motorized transportation. This is not a starting level position and candidates should bring a wealth of resources to the table including marketing, planning and project management. Candidates must be able to embrace both the planning and advocacy sides of this position and relish the opportunity to make a strong difference in regional transportation policy and planning.

The position reports to the Executive Director and has supervisory responsibilities for four employees including offsite field consultants. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Project Planner will be skilled and dogged, available and prepared to carry out the objectives of the Planning & Design section of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. This planner will expend professional energy achieving objectives that move Chicagoland toward revolutionary change in transportation.